After adding hydraulics to my '87 LT40 I've found that the way the side supports are mounted isn't substantial enough to hold them square.
The hyd. clamp has enough power to slip the clamp bolts for the side support adjustment.
When I modified the mill I added a little height to the side stops (about 10 1/2" above rails) which doesn't help the situation.
I probably asked before, but how tall are the swinging side stops WM uses now?
I'm thinking I might cut the square tubing off and make new side stops out of solid bar like WM does. I'd probably keep the round pipe they're mounted on but also make much stronger mounts on the adjustment end.
I actually don't care much for the swinging type side stops. I thought it wouldn't be too difficult, I'd convert it over to the vertical slide type WM puts on the LT50/70 mills.
Does anyone have pics of how the vertical type are mounted and how the hydraulic linkage works? Don't know if there'd be room to make them work but they'd be nice.
Kind of surprises me they only put two of the vertical supports on the mills though. Seems like i'm always cutting short or crooked logs and I think I'd
have trouble holding them like I want.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/44189/Side_supports.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1580164535)
couple of pictures here
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=109256.0 (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=109256.0)
You may also be over clamping. It doesn't take much clamping to hold a log/cant secure.
Quote from: Magicman on January 27, 2020, 07:46:31 PM
You may also be over clamping. It doesn't take much clamping to hold a log/cant secure.
I try not to clamp too much but just a little extra can do it. Even turning a log if it's a big one can mess with the adjustment. Not only can the bolts slip, the small strap that clamps the outer end of the side stop is easily bent.
Vertical side stops are the cats meow. I added a pair of them on my LX450 extension. Simple enough to do. I purchased the uprights and the parts to make the bar that runs between the bellcranks that causes them to rise and lower at the same time. It was cheaper and easier than making my own.
I made a horrid error in installing the hydraulic cylinder that drives the backstops however. Both backstops run up and down from a single cylinder with a linkage that runs to the 2nd backstop. I didn't look closely enough and figured it was easier to mount the cylinder off the furthest backstop as if it made no difference. Both stops went up and down great, but after turning a couple large logs the linkage rod was bent.
The stock mill has the backstop cylinder mounted on the front linkage and pulls the rod that actuates the 2nd backstop to raise it. I inadvertently set mine up to push this long rod, so it bent, badly. After straightening it twice I removed the cylinder. swapped the linkage and mounted it the way Woodmizer does. Failure is after all the opportunity to begin again, more intelligently...
If someone has pics of the vertical side stops I sure like to see how they're built.
If by chance they would fit, it would be tempting to change it over.
Quote from: D6c on January 27, 2020, 06:02:35 PM..... I thought it wouldn't be too difficult, I'd convert it over to the vertical slide type WM puts on the LT50/70 mills.
Does anyone have pics of how the vertical type are mounted and how the hydraulic linkage works? Don't know if there'd be room to make them work but they'd be nice.
Kind of surprises me they only put two of the vertical supports on the mills though. Seems like i'm always cutting short or crooked logs and I think I'd
have trouble holding them like I want.
I've talked to WM several times about the vertical supports. They tell me there is not enough room to put vertical one in the center of the mill. That is the major design flaw with the LT50. I too, saw lots of short logs and use the center stops. The LT50 center stops are manual and not connected with the vertical ends stops. I had wanted to buy the LT 50 when I upgraded, mainly for the chain turner, but instead bought the LT40 Super-Wide. At least all 4 of the backstops work in sync with hydraulics.